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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · ball · calf · mark · root · pound · fall · club

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fall — to drop
  9. root — of a plant
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fall — to drop
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. root — of a word
  18. club — for dancing
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fall — the season
  22. ball — a dance
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. root — the cause

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