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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. squash — the sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. snap — to click
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. current — electric
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. sharp — clever
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. current — of water
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. current — happening now
  24. squash — to crush

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