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: track · march · lash · stick · fan · row · bore · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. row — to paddle
  9. march — the month
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. march — music
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. track — a song
  15. march — the month
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. row — a line
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bore — to tire
  24. row — a quarrel

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