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: face · cell · shower · lie · ball · cabinet · bark · lean

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lean — thin
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. face — to point toward
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. face — to confront
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lie — to recline
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lean — to bend
  18. shower — rain
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bark — to shout
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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