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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. tube — a container
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. hand — help
  13. plane — a tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. tube — the underground
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bark — to shout
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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