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 · hide · fine · lash · rest · cold · chair · stand

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cold — not warm
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. fine — all right
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. chair — a leader
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fine — high quality
  16. row — to paddle
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. row — a line
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rest — a break
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. cold — an illness
  24. rest — what's left

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