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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. can — a tin
  5. hand — in cards
  6. file — a document
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. file — a tool
  10. hand — help
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. can — a tin
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pass — a permit
  16. net — in sport
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. file — a line of people
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. net — for catching
  22. can — to be able to
  23. net — after costs
  24. pass — to succeed

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