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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — for catching
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cap — a lid
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. perch — the fish
  17. net — after costs
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bank — of a river
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cap — of ice
  24. net — in sport

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