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: lash · scale · dip · pitcher · kick · roll · hand · cabinet

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. scale — in music
  3. kick — in football
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. dip — to sink
  9. scale — size or range
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. roll — a list
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. hand — help
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. lash — to lash out

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