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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. key — in music
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lean — thin
  6. key — for a lock
  7. last — to go on
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lean — to bend
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cap — of ice
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. cap — a hat
  18. last — final
  19. last — finally
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lean — to rest against

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