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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. march — the month
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. field — farmland
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — for a lock
  14. board — a committee
  15. march — the month
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. key — in music
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. club — a group
  23. march — music
  24. suit — in cards

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