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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fall — to drop
  8. band — a music group
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. face — to confront
  14. fall — the season
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. band — a ring
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rash — hasty
  20. fall — to drop
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rash — a series

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