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: lash · saw · hide · nail · prune · march · temple · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. file — a line of people
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. prune — to trim
  7. saw — the tool
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. march — the month
  10. file — a document
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. saw — the tool
  14. march — music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. march — the month
  24. prune — the fruit

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