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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. kid — child
  6. perch — the fish
  7. kid — to tease
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. capital — a city
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. root — the cause
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wind — moving air
  20. root — of a word
  21. capital — money
  22. root — of a plant
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lash — to lash out

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