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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ball — a dance
  4. row — to paddle
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ball — a great time
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. craft — boats
  17. row — a line
  18. rest — a break
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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