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: straw · squash · plane · sharp · lash · jam · bore · lean

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. sharp — clever
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. lean — to bend
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. squash — the sport
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. lean — thin
  14. bore — to drill
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. squash — to crush
  23. plane — a tool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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