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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — a match
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. net — in sport
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. net — after costs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. net — for catching
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. game — wild animals

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