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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. staff — employees
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. staff — employees
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tear — to rip
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. root — the cause
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. root — of a word
  17. tear — from crying
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. tear — from crying
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. racket — for tennis

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