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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. lie — to recline
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. firm — a company
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. net — in sport
  10. wind — moving air
  11. net — for catching
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. net — after costs
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. firm — decided
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pound — a weight
  23. shower — rain
  24. firm — steady

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