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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  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 — an eyelash
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a friend
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mark — a grade
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. court — for sport
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. swing — music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — to breed
  21. court — of a king
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. foot — a measure
  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