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: pop · cabinet · lash · saw · bat · last · kid · plane

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pop — soda
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. plane — a tool
  6. last — finally
  7. kid — child
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. last — to go on
  15. bat — the animal
  16. kid — to tease
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pop — music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. last — final
  24. plane — an aircraft

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