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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ground — a position
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. spring — the season
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spring — of water
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wake — a trail
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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