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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. race — humankind
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. race — a contest
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. foot — a measure

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