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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — a company
  3. swing — in golf
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. swing — music
  6. firm — decided
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. object — a thing
  10. kid — child
  11. swing — to play on
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. row — to paddle
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — an aim
  17. kid — to tease
  18. object — to protest
  19. wound — an injury
  20. firm — steady
  21. wound — an injury
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  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