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: last · wound · cabinet · pit · rock · lash · snap · ball

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. last — final
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. ball — a dance
  8. last — finally
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wound — an injury
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. snap — to click
  18. pit — in a race
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. last — to go on
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rock — music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lash — an eyelash

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