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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. spring — the season
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spring — a coil
  9. shower — to wash
  10. board — to get on
  11. suit — in cards
  12. spell — magic
  13. shower — rain
  14. stock — goods
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stock — shares
  18. spell — letters
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ball — a dance
  21. spring — of water
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ball — a great time
  24. spell — a short time

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