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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. file — a tool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pop — to visit
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. file — a document
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — a grade

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