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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mug — to rob
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ball — a great time
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ball — a dance
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mug — a face
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. face — to confront

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