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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. track — a song
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bore — to tire
  17. hand — help
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. hand — in cards
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. track — a path
  22. rest — a break
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bore — to drill

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