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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. can — a tin
  7. land — a country
  8. can — to be able to
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. can — a tin
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wind — moving air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. land — to come down
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rush — hurry
  23. land — ground
  24. perch — the fish

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