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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rush — hurry
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. kick — in football
  9. mug — a face
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mug — to rob
  14. land — ground
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. land — to come down
  17. drill — army training
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. land — a country
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lie — to recline
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. lash — an eyelash

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