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: rock · rash · scale · tear · plane · lash · wind · can

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. can — a tin
  3. tear — to rip
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rock — music
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rash — a series
  10. scale — size or range
  11. can — to be able to
  12. scale — in music
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wind — moving air
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. can — a tin
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. lash — to lash out

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