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

Word bank: perch · lash · temple · hand · bowl · wave · vault · bass

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. vault — a safe
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. hand — help
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. perch — the fish
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bass — low music
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bowl — a dish

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