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 is an ace ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. spell — letters
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ball — a dance

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