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: sharp · lash · vault · jam · foot · kick · race · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. wind — to turn a key
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. kick — in football
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. race — the arms race
  8. wind — moving air
  9. race — humankind
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. race — a contest
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. vault — a safe
  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