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 124 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — the most important part
  4. roll — a list
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wax — to grow
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. board — a committee
  10. key — for a lock
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. dip — to sink
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. vault — a safe
  16. roll — a cake
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — in music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. dip — to dunk

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