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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. roll — a cake
  5. sharp — clever
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. shower — to wash
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. shower — rain
  14. roll — a list
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bank — for money
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bank — of a river
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. sharp — exactly

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