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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lean — thin
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. lean — to bend
  7. kid — to tease
  8. current — of water
  9. cell — in biology
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cell — a phone
  17. current — electric
  18. nail — on a finger

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