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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. row — a line
  4. spring — of water
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rule — government
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mark — a grade
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. spring — the season
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bass — the fish
  22. spring — a coil
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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