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

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. foot — a measure
  4. drill — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spring — of water
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. nail — for a hammer

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