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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. staff — employees
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stock — shares
  6. staff — a stick
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. kid — child
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. kid — to tease
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — goods
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. plane — a tool
  17. staff — employees
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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