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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pop — soda
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cap — of ice
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pop — music
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rash — a series
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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