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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. last — finally
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. court — of a king
  5. spell — letters
  6. court — of law
  7. bulb — for light
  8. last — final
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. last — to go on
  19. row — a line
  20. court — for sport
  21. bat — the animal
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitch — a sports field

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