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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. net — after costs
  7. roll — a list
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. object — an aim
  11. tear — from crying
  12. net — in sport
  13. tear — to rip
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. roll — a cake
  17. object — to protest
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. tear — from crying
  21. net — for catching
  22. object — a thing
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lash — an eyelash

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