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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. object — an aim
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. object — a thing
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. charge — in control
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. object — to protest
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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