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 116 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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. track — a path
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. court — for sport
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. kick — in football
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. court — of law
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rush — hurry
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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