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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. season — of the year
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. drill — army training
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. season — in sport
  14. drill — a practice
  15. game — a match
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. drill — the tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pass — a permit
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — to add flavour

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