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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cold — an illness
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tear — from crying
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. season — of the year
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. tear — to rip
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. suit — clothes
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cold — not warm
  18. season — in sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — the tool
  21. plane — a tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tear — from crying

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