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 116 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: drill · lash · rush · mouse · land · present · hand · deal

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. land — a country
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. drill — a practice
  10. hand — help
  11. present — there
  12. land — to come down
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. present — the time now
  15. hand — in cards
  16. present — a gift
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. land — ground
  23. rush — hurry
  24. drill — the tool

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