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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pit — a hole
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. branch — a division
  10. bear — the animal
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. row — a line
  13. bear — the animal
  14. row — to paddle
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hand — help
  17. ball — a dance
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pit — in a race

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