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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pound — a weight
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lie — to recline
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. snap — to click
  22. sharp — clever
  23. row — a line
  24. cabinet — ministers

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