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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. spring — of water
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. club — a group
  11. root — the cause
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. chair — a leader
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. spring — a coil
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. swing — in golf
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. swing — music
  24. spring — the season

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