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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. race — a contest
  5. row — to paddle
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. track — to keep track
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. race — the arms race
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. capital — money
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. race — humankind
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — a city
  24. bore — to tire

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