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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rest — what's left
  5. race — humankind
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — a break
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rest — what's left
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bore — to tire
  14. race — a contest
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bass — low music
  22. race — the arms race
  23. roll — a list
  24. bore — to drill

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