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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. saw — the tool
  4. craft — boats
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. spring — the season
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spring — a coil
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. tear — from crying
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. craft — a skill
  22. tear — to rip
  23. saw — the tool
  24. spring — of water

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