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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. board — to get on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. court — of law
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. court — of a king
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. board — a committee
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. perch — the fish
  18. chip — for betting
  19. court — for sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. chip — to eat

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