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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bass — the fish
  4. content — happy
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. field — a subject
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bass — low music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. track — a path
  12. content — the amount
  13. track — to keep track
  14. suit — in cards
  15. field — for sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. field — farmland
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. track — a song

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