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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bore — to tire
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. present — there
  7. pop — to visit
  8. present — a gift
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fine — all right
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. present — the time now
  23. pop — music
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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