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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bark — to shout
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. current — of water
  7. spell — magic
  8. content — the amount
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. current — happening now
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — happy
  15. current — electric
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. mug — to rob
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. spell — letters
  24. ball — a dance

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