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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. row — a line
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cell — in biology
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fall — to drop
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bank — for money
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cell — a phone
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bank — of a river
  24. craft — boats

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