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 · sharp · clip · foot · rock · lie · spell · temple

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. clip — to cut
  5. foot — a measure
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. clip — for paper
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. ball — a great time
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — letters
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. clip — a video
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. spell — a short time
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lie — to recline
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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