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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. spell — a short time
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — government
  5. firm — decided
  6. rush — hurry
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. board — a committee
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. spell — magic
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. firm — a company
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. spell — letters
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. shower — rain
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. board — to get on
  24. lash — to lash out

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