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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bound — tied together
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — the cause
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. root — of a word
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. tube — the underground
  14. court — of a king
  15. bound — obliged
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. court — of law
  18. root — of a plant
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bound — certain
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. tube — a container
  23. court — for sport
  24. wound — an injury

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