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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bark — to shout
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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