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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. field — for sport
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. net — for catching
  11. field — farmland
  12. pound — a weight
  13. net — after costs
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. net — in sport
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. field — a subject
  19. rest — a break
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. lash — to lash out

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