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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bark — to shout
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pop — music
  7. last — final
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. last — finally
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. pop — soda
  24. hide — to keep secret

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