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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — a tool
  5. object — an aim
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. game — a match
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. object — a thing
  17. hand — help
  18. shower — rain
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. game — wild animals
  22. object — to protest
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. chip — to eat

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