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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a dance
  4. swing — to play on
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. saw — the tool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — music
  9. plane — a tool
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rule — a law
  13. object — an aim
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. object — a thing
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. object — to protest
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rule — government
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rule — to rule out

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