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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. swing — music
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pound — a weight
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cap — of ice
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. swing — to play on
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mouse — the animal

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