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 · craft · bark · fan · scale · bat · temple · pitch

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. craft — boats
  7. scale — in music
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. scale — size or range
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. pitch — completely
  24. temple — side of the head

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