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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · face · straw · lash · spell · club

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. face — to confront
  3. club — for dancing
  4. spell — magic
  5. face — part of the head
  6. spell — a short time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. club — for golf
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. club — a group
  17. spell — letters
  18. face — to point toward

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