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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. object — an aim
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. object — a thing
  7. ground — crushed
  8. firm — a company
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — to protest
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wind — moving air
  22. firm — decided
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — steady

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