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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. kid — child
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. spell — a short time
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kid — to tease
  19. spell — magic
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. snap — to click

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