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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. swing — music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pound — a weight
  13. swing — to play on
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. date — the fruit
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. squash — to crush
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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