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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. spring — of water
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rule — government
  8. spring — the season
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. content — the amount
  14. rush — hurry
  15. content — happy
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. swing — music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. charge — a price
  22. rule — a law
  23. charge — electricity
  24. prune — to trim

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