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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. current — electric
  6. tear — to rip
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. current — of water
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. rash — a series
  16. pop — music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. current — happening now
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pound — a weight
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. tear — from crying

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