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 116 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: spell · lash · saw · root · drill · current · coach · kid

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — of a plant
  3. spell — a short time
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. drill — a practice
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. root — the cause
  10. current — happening now
  11. kid — child
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — of a word
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. kid — to tease

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