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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — a tool
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rock — a stone
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cell — in biology
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. hide — to keep secret

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