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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. key — in music
  3. prune — to trim
  4. land — to come down
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wound — an injury
  9. key — for a lock
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fine — high quality
  14. land — ground
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wound — an injury
  18. fine — all right
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. land — a country
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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