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. The water is too ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — a weight
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pop — soda
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pop — music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pop — to visit
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cold — an illness

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