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: leaves · lash · cell · drill · kick · mate

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cell — a phone
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mate — a partner
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. kick — in football
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cell — in biology
  14. drill — army training
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. drill — the tool
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mate — to breed

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