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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mug — a face
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lie — to recline
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mug — a cup
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pound — a weight
  22. kid — child
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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