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: deal · lean · hide · lash · content · cabinet · rush · ground

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ground — a position
  3. content — the amount
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. ground — crushed
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. content — happy
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. deal — to handle
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lean — to rest against

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