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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. club — for golf
  5. bound — tied together
  6. spell — magic
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — a grade
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. spell — letters
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. snap — to click
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. club — a group
  18. lean — thin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bound — certain
  21. lean — to bend
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — to bear
  24. lean — to rest against

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