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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wake — a trail
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — there
  10. drill — army training
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. present — the time now
  14. drill — a practice
  15. wound — an injury
  16. drill — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wake — before a funeral

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