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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. fall — the season
  4. present — a gift
  5. spring — of water
  6. root — the cause
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rash — a series
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rash — hasty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lie — to recline
  16. present — there
  17. root — of a word
  18. fall — to drop
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. root — of a plant
  22. present — the time now
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fall — to drop

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