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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. vault — a safe
  4. craft — a skill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tube — a container
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. craft — boats
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. kick — in football
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. fan — a supporter

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