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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. net — in sport
  3. file — a tool
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — after costs
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. net — for catching
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fork — in a road

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