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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. plane — a tool
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pound — a weight
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. file — a tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. file — a document
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. game — a match

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