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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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 — a whip stroke
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. club — for dancing
  6. row — a line
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. club — for golf
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. club — a group
  18. vault — a safe
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. can — to be able to
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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