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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cell — in biology
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. race — humankind
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stock — shares
  14. cell — a phone
  15. race — the arms race
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. race — a contest

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