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: bowl · drill · wake · lash · safe · rule · straw · chair

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. wake — a trail
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. drill — army training
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rule — a law
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rule — government
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chair — a leader
  23. drill — a practice
  24. safe — out of danger

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