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 · stick · nail · roll · stem · board · pop · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. board — to get on
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pop — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. deal — to handle
  16. roll — a list
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pop — soda
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a committee

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