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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — in music
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lash — an eyelash

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