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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — a committee
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. saw — the tool
  17. board — to get on
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. charge — electricity
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. charge — a price
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. charge — in control

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