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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mate — a friend
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — a break
  12. cap — a lid
  13. chest — a box
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chest — of your body
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. mate — to breed
  18. branch — a division
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mate — a partner
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cap — of ice
  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