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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fall — to drop
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. branch — a division
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. track — a song
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. track — a path
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wave — with your hand

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