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: cabinet · hand · fan · firm · lash · cell · bore · lean

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hand — help
  10. cell — a phone
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. firm — steady
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lean — thin
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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