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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. key — for a lock
  3. capital — money
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. face — to confront
  10. object — to protest
  11. face — part of the head
  12. prune — to trim
  13. object — an aim
  14. face — to point toward
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. capital — a city
  17. prune — to trim
  18. object — a thing
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. key — the most important part
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. key — in music
  24. prune — the fruit

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