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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bore — to drill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. prune — to trim
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — the animal

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