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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — of the year
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — ground
  6. chest — of your body
  7. land — a country
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. land — to come down
  11. vault — a safe
  12. can — a tin
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wax — to grow
  17. season — in sport
  18. chest — of your body
  19. can — to be able to
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. dip — to sink
  24. chest — a box

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