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 · arm · saw · rock · ground · row · suit · hide

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rock — a stone
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. suit — clothes
  7. row — a line
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ground — the earth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. ground — a position
  19. row — to paddle
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ground — crushed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. row — a quarrel

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