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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. club — a group
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — in a race
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. spring — a coil
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. club — for golf
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. club — for dancing
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. kick — in football
  23. spring — of water
  24. lash — an eyelash

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