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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rock — a stone
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. row — to paddle
  14. band — a ring
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. cap — a hat
  20. fall — the season
  21. pit — a hole
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cap — a lid
  24. row — a line

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