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 120 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: rock · lash · spring · foot · season · bear · pitcher · rush

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. spring — of water
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spring — a coil
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. spring — the season
  20. rush — hurry
  21. season — of the year
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pitcher — a jug

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