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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. drill — the tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — a practice
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ground — a position
  12. drill — army training
  13. scale — size or range
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. ground — the earth
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. file — a document
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. game — a match
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. ground — crushed
  24. scale — in music

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