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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cap — a hat
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cap — a lid
  18. chest — a box
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chest — of your body

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