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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spell — magic
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. row — a line
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. row — to paddle
  24. rash — on the skin

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