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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. object — to protest
  4. kick — in football
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. club — for dancing
  8. ground — the earth
  9. snap — to click
  10. club — for golf
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. cap — a lid
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. cap — of ice
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. toast — bread
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. club — a group
  23. cap — a hat
  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