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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. saw — the tool
  3. shower — rain
  4. mark — a trace
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rash — hasty
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. shower — to wash
  10. present — the time now
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rash — a series
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. present — a gift
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mark — a grade
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. present — there
  24. kick — in football

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