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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a trace
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spring — the season
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. fall — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bear — the animal

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