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: mark · bowl · can · staff · scale · land · cold · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. land — a country
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. scale — in music
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. can — a tin
  11. cold — not warm
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. can — to be able to
  16. land — ground
  17. staff — employees
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mark — a grade
  24. land — to come down

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