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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rash — hasty
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. spell — magic
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rash — a series
  15. kid — child
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. file — a line of people
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. file — a document
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. file — a tool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. sharp — exactly

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