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 120 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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. spring — of water
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chest — a box
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. spring — a coil
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chest — of your body
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spring — the season
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stock — shares
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. vault — a safe

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