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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — letters
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — in sport
  6. hand — help
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. season — of the year
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. race — humankind
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. chip — for betting
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chip — to eat
  18. present — the time now
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. present — a gift
  22. hand — in cards
  23. race — the arms race
  24. present — there

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