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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. court — for sport
  3. rash — a series
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. court — of a king
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — in cards
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mate — a friend
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mate — to breed
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mate — a partner
  21. suit — clothes
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. court — of law

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