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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. season — in sport
  4. net — in sport
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. season — of the year
  10. present — the time now
  11. net — after costs
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. net — for catching
  14. last — finally
  15. march — the month
  16. craft — boats
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. march — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. last — final
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. craft — a skill
  24. last — to go on

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