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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. club — a group
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. court — of a king
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. staff — a stick
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. staff — employees
  17. squash — the sport
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. court — for sport
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. club — for golf
  23. court — of law
  24. staff — employees

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