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: drill · cue · lie · bass · foot · lash · face · court

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the fish
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. cue — a hint
  5. drill — army training
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. court — for sport
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. court — of a king
  13. foot — a measure
  14. cue — a signal
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bass — low music
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. court — of law

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