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 · craft · lie · chest · mate · object · root · wind

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wind — moving air
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mate — a partner
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mate — to breed
  10. craft — a skill
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. object — to protest
  15. chest — of your body
  16. root — of a word
  17. chest — a box
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mate — a friend
  20. root — the cause
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lash — an eyelash

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