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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rash — a series
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rash — hasty
  8. pound — a weight
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bear — the animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. drill — army training
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hand — help

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