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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. board — to get on
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a committee
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. drill — a practice
  10. spell — a short time
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rest — a break
  13. drill — army training
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spell — magic
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. drill — the tool
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. spell — letters
  20. kid — child
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — for money

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