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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. court — of law
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rest — a break
  14. row — a line
  15. court — of a king
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rash — hasty
  24. court — for sport

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