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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. field — a subject
  5. capital — money
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. rest — what's left
  12. field — for sport
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. capital — a city
  17. rock — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. field — farmland

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