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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cap — of ice
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cap — a lid
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. suit — to fit
  14. capital — money
  15. club — a group
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. capital — a city
  20. club — for golf
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fall — the season
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cap — a hat

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