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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — from a university
  6. current — electric
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. degree — an amount
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. tube — a container
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. lash — an eyelash

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