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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spring — the season
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. firm — steady
  10. spring — of water
  11. degree — temperature
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. degree — from a university
  18. saw — the tool
  19. degree — an amount
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cabinet — ministers

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