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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. wind — moving air
  4. present — there
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. spell — a short time
  7. toast — bread
  8. present — the time now
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. club — a group
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spell — letters
  19. present — a gift
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wind — moving air
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. club — for golf
  24. racket — for tennis

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