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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. shower — to wash
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. staff — employees
  8. row — a line
  9. bear — the animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. shower — rain
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. staff — employees
  21. wound — an injury
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bear — to put up with

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