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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. key — for a lock
  3. suit — clothes
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bark — to shout
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. perch — the fish
  10. key — in music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. suit — to fit
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. club — for dancing
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. face — to point toward
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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