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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wound — an injury
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spring — of water
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. wound — an injury
  13. drill — army training
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — the tool
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — an eyelash

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