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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. scale — in music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. hand — help
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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