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 · deal · shower · rock · file · lash · band · tear

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. band — a ring
  6. tear — to rip
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. band — a music group
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. tear — from crying
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. file — a tool
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rock — a stone
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. rock — music

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