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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. rash — a series
  3. stock — shares
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. spell — a short time
  8. swing — to play on
  9. key — for a lock
  10. content — the amount
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. content — happy
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. spell — letters
  17. stock — goods
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bark — to shout
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. swing — music
  23. spell — magic
  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