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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wake — a trail
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stand — to bear
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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