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: wound · nail · hide · calf · bank · lash · fan · root

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. wound — an injury
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bank — of a river
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bank — for money
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. root — of a plant
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. root — of a word
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — the cause
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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