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: cap · wake · mate · fan · field · temple · lash · coach

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. field — for sport
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. field — a subject
  10. mate — to breed
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. field — farmland
  16. cap — of ice
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cap — a hat
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fan — a supporter

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