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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — a price
  11. bank — for money
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bank — of a river
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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