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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. saw — the tool
  3. court — of a king
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. saw — the tool
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. capital — money
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. game — a match
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. vault — a safe
  15. sharp — clever
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — a city
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. game — wild animals
  22. dip — to sink
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. lash — to lash out

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