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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. season — in sport
  5. rash — a series
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. net — after costs
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. net — in sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. sharp — clever
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. season — of the year
  19. scale — in music
  20. net — for catching
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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