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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wax — to grow
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rock — music
  12. fall — the season
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. nail — on a finger

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