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: club · kid · face · leaves · lie · bowl · date · ball

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. date — the fruit
  4. face — to point toward
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a dance
  7. face — to confront
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. lie — to recline
  18. club — for dancing
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. face — part of the head
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ball — a great time

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