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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cold — not warm
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fall — the season
  7. bore — to tire
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bore — to drill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cold — an illness
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. cue — a signal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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