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: nail · hand · fine · deal · kid · leaves · lash · arm

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. kid — to tease
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — all right
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hand — help
  14. kid — child
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. hand — in cards
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fine — high quality
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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