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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. field — for sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. ground — the earth
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. face — part of the head
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ground — a position
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ground — crushed
  15. face — to point toward
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to drill
  21. field — a subject
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. face — to confront
  24. field — farmland

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