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: fall · lash · plane · nail · rash · saw · suit · staff

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. staff — employees
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — a tool
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — the tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rash — hasty
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fall — the season

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