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 120 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. staff — employees
  3. spell — magic
  4. staff — employees
  5. spell — a short time
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mine — for digging
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lie — to recline
  14. kid — child
  15. spell — letters
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. band — a ring
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mark — a grade
  22. band — a music group
  23. kid — to tease
  24. staff — a stick

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