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

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. race — humankind
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pitch — completely
  14. dip — to sink
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. race — a contest
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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