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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spring — the season
  8. ball — a great time
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. spring — of water
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bear — the animal

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