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 120 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: row · cell · lash · kick · vault · land · safe · object

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. kick — in football
  3. object — to protest
  4. land — a country
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. object — a thing
  7. cell — a phone
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. row — to paddle
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. object — an aim
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. row — a line
  18. land — ground
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. row — a quarrel

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