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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. court — of law
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. staff — employees
  7. roll — a cake
  8. staff — employees
  9. court — for sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. roll — a list
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. court — of a king
  19. spell — letters
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. spell — a short time
  22. object — to protest
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. spell — magic

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