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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. season — in sport
  12. bass — low music
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spring — the season
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. season — of the year
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. spring — of water
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. toast — bread

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