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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. spell — a short time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mine — for digging
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. spell — letters
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. scale — in music
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. spell — magic
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. coach — a trainer

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