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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. spell — magic
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. drill — a practice
  6. spring — of water
  7. spell — a short time
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. staff — employees
  10. drill — army training
  11. pass — a permit
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. drill — the tool
  17. vault — a safe
  18. spell — letters
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. spring — the season
  24. pass — to spend time

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