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 120 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. plane — a tool
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. spring — of water
  6. band — a ring
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spring — a coil
  13. club — for dancing
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. club — a group
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. band — a music group
  19. face — to confront
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. face — part of the head
  22. perch — the fish
  23. club — for golf
  24. face — to point toward

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