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: nail · field · suit · bear · lash · spell · pop · lean

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. suit — clothes
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pop — to visit
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. field — a subject
  8. suit — in cards
  9. field — for sport
  10. spell — letters
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pop — soda
  24. spell — a short time

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