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: mark · hand · court · lie · last · pound · row · rush

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. court — of law
  4. row — a line
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. court — of a king
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lie — to recline
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mark — a grade
  16. court — for sport
  17. mark — a trace
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pound — a weight
  21. last — to go on
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  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