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 120 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: deal · wind · clip · vault · swing · wave · lash · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. vault — a safe
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. clip — for paper
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. swing — to play on
  17. clip — a video
  18. wind — moving air
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. swing — in golf
  21. clip — to cut
  22. swing — music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. deal — to handle

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