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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. spring — of water
  9. spring — a coil
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lean — thin
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. spring — the season
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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