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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. rash — a series
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mark — a grade
  14. chest — a box
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. can — to be able to
  18. chest — of your body

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