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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. lie — to recline
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cold — an illness
  17. board — a committee
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. board — to get on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — in geometry

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