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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. season — of the year
  3. cue — for pool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. root — of a plant
  10. game — a match
  11. lie — to recline
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cue — a signal
  17. season — in sport
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cue — a hint
  22. root — the cause
  23. root — of a word
  24. fall — the season

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