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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. present — the time now
  3. kid — to tease
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. club — for golf
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. kid — child
  8. object — to protest
  9. stock — goods
  10. object — a thing
  11. present — there
  12. object — an aim
  13. present — a gift
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stock — shares
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. club — a group
  24. lash — to lash out

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