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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. band — a ring
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — the cause
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. dip — to sink
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. saw — the tool
  15. root — of a plant
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. band — a music group
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. band — a rubber band

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