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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. firm — a company
  8. hand — in cards
  9. chest — of your body
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chest — a box
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mark — a grade
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. hand — help
  24. lash — to lash out

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