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: degree · kid · fork · leaves · lash · suit · rash · rest

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rest — what's left
  3. degree — from a university
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. degree — temperature
  9. fork — in a road
  10. degree — an amount
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — in cards
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rest — a break
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. kid — child
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — clothes

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