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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. hand — help
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. hand — in cards
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stem — to come from
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bowl — a dish

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