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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. game — a match
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chest — of your body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lie — to recline
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. chest — a box
  19. net — in sport
  20. chest — of your body
  21. net — for catching
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. net — after costs

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