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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. shower — to wash
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. shower — rain
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mug — a face
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mug — a cup

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