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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ground — a position
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fine — all right
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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