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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mug — a face
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cold — an illness

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