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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spring — the season
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. spring — of water
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. key — the most important part
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. key — for a lock
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. last — finally
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. spring — a coil
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. last — to go on
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. key — in music

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