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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bass — low music
  5. bound — certain
  6. firm — steady
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. hand — in cards
  9. land — a country
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mark — a grade
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — tied together
  14. swing — music
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — in golf
  17. land — ground
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. bass — the fish
  21. land — to come down
  22. bound — obliged
  23. hand — help
  24. bass — the instrument

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