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

Word bank: stick · land · season · wake · hand · bark · lash · safe

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. land — to come down
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. season — in sport
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. land — a country
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. land — ground
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bark — to shout

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