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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ball — a great time
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spell — letters
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. charge — in control
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. charge — electricity
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. vault — a safe
  20. charge — a price
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ball — a round shape

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