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: lash · snap · deal · hide · kid · wound · net · rush

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. net — for catching
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. kid — to tease
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rush — hurry
  14. kid — child
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. snap — to click
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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