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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bound — certain
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bound — tied together
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bore — to tire
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. field — a subject
  17. bore — to drill
  18. field — farmland
  19. field — for sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. wake — a trail
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wake — before a funeral

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