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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. squash — to crush
  9. cap — a lid
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. snap — to click
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stem — to come from
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cap — a hat

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