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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spring — a coil
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bass — low music
  9. land — ground
  10. spring — the season
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rock — a stone
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rock — music
  20. land — a country
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. land — to come down

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