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 120 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: bay · bark · lash · mug · plane · hand · season · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. season — in sport
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mug — to rob
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hand — in cards
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. season — of the year
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. bark — of a tree

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