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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. net — after costs
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. net — in sport
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. suit — in cards
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cell — a phone
  17. net — for catching
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cell — in biology
  20. spell — letters
  21. dip — to sink
  22. spell — magic
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. suit — clothes

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