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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. can — a tin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bound — obliged
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — certain
  14. last — to go on
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — for money
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bank — of a river
  24. lie — to recline

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