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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. kid — to tease
  5. sharp — clever
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fall — to drop
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. key — in music
  14. rash — a series
  15. key — for a lock
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — child
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rash — hasty

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