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 · temple · scale · fan · pitcher · season · object · track

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. scale — size or range
  5. season — in sport
  6. scale — in music
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. track — a path
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. season — of the year
  17. object — a thing
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — a song
  24. lash — to lash out

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