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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wind — moving air
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wind — moving air
  15. court — for sport
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cell — a phone
  18. court — of law
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — in control
  23. court — of a king
  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