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: leaves · straw · current · lash · bark · ball · bowl · cell

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. current — happening now
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. current — of water
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ball — a great time
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. current — electric
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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