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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — for digging
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bat — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to click
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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