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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bore — to drill
  4. present — the time now
  5. club — for golf
  6. lean — to bend
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lean — thin
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. present — there
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. chip — for betting
  16. row — a line
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. club — a group
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. present — a gift
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. row — a quarrel

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