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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. spell — magic
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — letters
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. rash — a series
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. plane — a tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rash — hasty

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