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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bore — to drill
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bore — to tire
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. face — part of the head
  18. hand — in cards
  19. face — to confront
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. lash — an eyelash

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