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

Word bank: ruler · pop · net · root · ball · deal · lash · mug

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mug — a cup
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pop — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pop — soda
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. net — after costs
  16. pop — to visit
  17. root — the cause
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. ball — a dance
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mug — to rob

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