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: ball · row · wave · mark · pitch · lash · lean · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. ball — a great time
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lean — thin
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mark — a trace
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lean — to rest against

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