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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rule — government
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. plane — a tool
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. club — for dancing
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pit — a hole
  21. club — a group
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — in a race

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