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: hide · plane · lash · saw · march · current · rock · temple

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — music
  13. current — of water
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — a tool
  16. current — electric
  17. rock — a stone
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. march — the month
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. current — happening now

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