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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bass — the fish
  11. kid — to tease
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bass — low music
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kid — child
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. leaves — lets stay

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