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 116 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: kid · lash · bear · chair · trunk · nail · plane · rock

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rock — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bear — the animal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. kid — child
  17. rock — a stone
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. kid — to tease
  21. chair — a leader
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rock — to move gently

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