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: prune · cap · rush · rest · bound · lash · cabinet · fan

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rest — a break
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cap — a lid

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