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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. club — for dancing
  3. board — to get on
  4. track — to keep track
  5. club — for golf
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. track — a path
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. track — a song
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. board — a committee
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. kid — to tease
  19. club — a group
  20. kid — child
  21. bark — to shout
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. bore — to tire

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