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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. game — wild animals
  3. suit — to fit
  4. game — a match
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. suit — in cards
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bore — to drill
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. chest — a box
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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