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: ball · mouse · suit · stem · lie · staff · hand · bat

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ball — a dance
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a great time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. hand — help
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. lie — to recline
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bat — the animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. suit — clothes
  24. mouse — for a computer

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