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 120 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 · object · lash · staff · nail · firm · fall · rash

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. object — a thing
  11. fall — to drop
  12. staff — employees
  13. firm — steady
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fall — the season
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. firm — decided
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — an aim
  22. firm — a company
  23. pop — music
  24. object — to protest

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