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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. kid — to tease
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. face — to confront
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — a path
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. face — to point toward
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. face — part of the head

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