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 124 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. net — in sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. file — a document
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. row — to paddle
  12. spell — a short time
  13. foot — a measure
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mug — a face
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — for catching

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