ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: band · lie · dip · staff · roll · kick · ruler · scale

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. band — a ring
  3. scale — in music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. dip — to sink
  6. kick — in football
  7. staff — employees
  8. band — a music group
  9. staff — employees
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — a list
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — to recline
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. scale — size or range
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com