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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. row — a line
  5. craft — boats
  6. rest — a break
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pop — soda
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rest — what's left
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pop — music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bear — the animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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