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: lash · bore · rash · spell · ground · land · wave · plane

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ground — the earth
  3. spell — a short time
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rash — a series
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. spell — letters
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spell — magic
  19. land — to come down
  20. bore — to drill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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