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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pit — in a race
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ground — the earth
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ground — crushed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fall — the season
  24. ground — a position

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