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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. last — finally
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. last — to go on
  8. key — for a lock
  9. object — an aim
  10. rash — a series
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. toast — bread
  13. object — a thing
  14. spring — the season
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rash — hasty
  17. spring — of water
  18. key — in music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. object — to protest
  21. last — final
  22. game — wild animals
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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