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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. track — a song
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the fish
  8. last — to go on
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bass — low music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. plane — a tool
  16. track — a path
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — to keep track
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. last — final
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. last — finally
  24. racket — for tennis

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