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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · kid · fork · ruler · lash · swing

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fork — in a road
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. kid — to tease
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal

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