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 · mouse · spell · wind · lash · roll · rest · bowl

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. spell — magic
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. spell — letters
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rest — a break
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a list
  24. bowl — a football final

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