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 · row · rash · bound · court · kid · rush · temple

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — child
  6. court — of law
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bound — tied together
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bound — obliged
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. row — a line
  17. court — for sport
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rash — a series
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bound — certain
  24. row — to paddle

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