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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. hand — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. root — the cause
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. suit — clothes
  16. charge — a price
  17. root — of a plant
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. charge — electricity
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. hand — help
  24. root — of a word

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