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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stock — goods
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mine — for digging
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bound — obliged
  11. drill — the tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — the time now
  14. bound — certain
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stock — shares
  18. drill — army training
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — there
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. drill — a practice
  24. present — a gift

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