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: lean · pitcher · rush · lash · season · bat · snap · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. season — in sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. season — of the year
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lean — thin
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. lean — to bend
  24. snap — to click

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