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 124 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pop — soda
  3. object — to protest
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. club — a group
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. object — a thing
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. object — an aim
  12. bore — to drill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pop — music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pop — to visit
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. tube — a container
  20. club — for golf
  21. sharp — clever
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bore — to tire
  24. club — for dancing

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