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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. object — to protest
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. tear — to rip
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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