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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. club — for golf
  3. firm — a company
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. club — for dancing
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. firm — decided
  10. key — the most important part
  11. firm — steady
  12. club — a group
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. key — in music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hand — help
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rush — hurry

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