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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — of water
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spring — the season
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. spring — a coil

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