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 120 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 lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chest — of your body
  8. chest — a box
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. chest — of your body
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rush — to hurry

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