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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. charge — a price
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. row — a line
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. charge — electricity
  14. row — to paddle
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. roll — a list
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. roll — a cake
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. charge — in control
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. fan — to cool the air

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