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: mine · rash · mark · rock · season · temple · trunk · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. season — in sport
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rash — a series
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rash — hasty
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mine — for digging
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. rock — music

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