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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. last — finally
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. last — final
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wind — moving air
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. field — farmland
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. field — for sport
  16. last — to go on
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wind — moving air
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. lie — to recline
  23. field — a subject
  24. squash — the sport

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