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

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cell — in biology
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ball — a great time
  9. root — the cause
  10. kid — child
  11. root — of a word
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ball — a dance
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. current — of water
  17. cap — a lid
  18. current — happening now
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cap — of ice
  23. root — of a plant
  24. kid — to tease

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