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 124 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. suit — in cards
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spell — magic
  6. staff — employees
  7. saw — the tool
  8. date — the fruit
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. spell — a short time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. drill — army training
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. drill — the tool
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. spell — letters
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. date — on the calendar

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