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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — to protest
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. face — to confront
  16. shower — rain
  17. mine — for digging
  18. kid — child
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. face — to point toward
  24. object — an aim

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