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: wake · pit · bulb · rash · lash · deal · stand · arm

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pit — a hole
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stand — to bear
  24. deal — an agreement

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