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: lash · row · calf · fine · cabinet · straw · stick · branch

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fine — high quality
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. branch — a division
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fine — all right
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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