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: spring · roll · stock · suit · ball · toast · land · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. land — a country
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — clothes
  12. toast — bread
  13. spring — of water
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. land — ground
  16. roll — a list
  17. stock — shares
  18. land — to come down
  19. spring — the season
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a great time

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