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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fine — all right
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. key — for a lock
  16. staff — employees
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ball — a great time
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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