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: rest · march · bowl · court · wake · rock · kid · lash

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. court — for sport
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kid — child
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rest — a break
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rock — music
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. court — of law
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. court — of a king
  20. kid — to tease
  21. march — the month
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rock — to move gently

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