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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. court — of a king
  3. object — an aim
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. drill — the tool
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — to protest
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. drill — a practice
  12. stem — to come from
  13. foot — a measure
  14. court — of law
  15. object — a thing
  16. court — for sport
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. band — a ring
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. band — a music group
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. craft — boats
  24. drill — army training

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