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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. kid — child
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. firm — a company
  10. season — in sport
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pound — a weight
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. season — of the year
  20. firm — steady
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. racket — for tennis

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