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: jam · lash · hand · roll · lie · fork · rash · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rash — a series
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fork — in a road
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. can — a tin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. roll — a list
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. roll — on a roll

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