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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. hand — help
  3. spell — letters
  4. kid — to tease
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — hurry
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stand — to bear
  14. chip — to eat
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. hand — in cards
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. kid — child
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. spell — magic
  24. chip — in a computer

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