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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. spell — letters
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rash — a series
  6. pop — soda
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spell — magic
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pop — to visit
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pop — music
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wax — to grow

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