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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. mate — a friend
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mate — a partner
  24. date — on the calendar

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