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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cap — a lid
  3. spring — a coil
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cap — a hat
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lean — thin
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rock — music
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. net — for catching
  20. mate — a partner
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lean — to bend
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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