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: lash · last · deal · hand · dip · wake · kid · wax

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. last — final
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. kid — child
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. hand — help
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. last — to go on
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. last — finally

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