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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. club — a group
  4. bound — obliged
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. firm — decided
  7. bound — tied together
  8. firm — a company
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ball — a great time
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. pit — a hole
  14. march — the month
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. march — the month
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. march — music
  19. firm — steady
  20. club — for golf
  21. capital — money
  22. bound — certain
  23. capital — a city
  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