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: rule · pop · kid · cap · rock · lash · plane · hide

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pop — music
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cap — a hat
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. plane — a tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rock — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. kid — child
  22. rock — a stone
  23. kid — to tease
  24. cap — of ice

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