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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mug — a face
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spell — a short time
  5. present — the time now
  6. spell — magic
  7. present — there
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. present — a gift
  10. last — to go on
  11. rash — hasty
  12. last — finally
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mug — to rob
  17. last — final
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rash — a series
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. spell — letters
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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