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: stick · lash · track · temple · kid · dip · shower · mine

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mine — for digging
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. track — to keep track
  10. shower — rain
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kid — child
  18. track — a path
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — a song
  21. kid — to tease
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mine — belonging to me

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