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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — a company
  3. tear — from crying
  4. row — a line
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. craft — a skill
  7. firm — steady
  8. pit — in a race
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — decided
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. tear — to rip
  18. row — to paddle
  19. craft — boats
  20. pit — a hole
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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