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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. season — of the year
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. spell — magic
  14. lean — thin
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. lean — to bend
  20. content — happy
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. content — the amount
  24. season — 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