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: lash · toast · ball · dip · stick · craft · scale · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. ball — a great time
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. toast — bread
  17. scale — in music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a dance

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