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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. net — for catching
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. ground — the earth
  7. object — a thing
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. object — an aim
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. object — to protest
  19. bank — of a river
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wind — moving air

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