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

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. object — to protest
  4. mate — to breed
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kid — child
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mate — a partner
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. face — to confront
  12. object — a thing
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kid — to tease
  16. object — an aim
  17. mate — a friend
  18. lash — an eyelash

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