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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. saw — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. court — of a king
  7. stock — goods
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stock — shares
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mark — a grade
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. drill — a practice

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