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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to bend
  10. wind — moving air
  11. drill — army training
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lean — thin
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cabinet — ministers

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