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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pop — music
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ground — a position
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lean — to bend
  14. sharp — clever
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lean — thin
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. pop — soda

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