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: foot · row · lash · firm · shower · bank · straw · pit

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  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. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. firm — steady
  6. shower — rain
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. row — to paddle
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bank — for money
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bank — of a river
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — a hole
  21. row — a line
  22. foot — a measure
  23. shower — to wash
  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