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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rule — a law
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. prune — to trim
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — a song
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. staff — a stick
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spell — letters
  17. track — a path
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. spell — a short time
  21. rule — government
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — magic
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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