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: rock · fan · dip · wound · nail · season · root · lash

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. root — of a plant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. root — the cause
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rock — a stone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rock — music
  21. season — of the year
  22. dip — to sink
  23. root — of a word
  24. wound — an injury

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