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: wave · chest · staff · drill · plane · squash · saw · lash

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — a tool
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. squash — the sport
  6. drill — a practice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. chest — a box
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. chest — of your body
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. squash — to crush
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. drill — the tool
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. chest — of your body
  23. drill — army training
  24. staff — employees

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