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: last · mark · tear · chair · stand · pop · lash · spell

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. last — to go on
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. pop — soda
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mark — a grade
  9. tear — from crying
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. tear — to rip
  12. last — final
  13. spell — letters
  14. tear — from crying
  15. spell — magic
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. spell — a short time
  22. last — finally
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pop — 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