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: degree · lash · key · rush · pound · club · wound · chip

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. degree — temperature
  13. chip — to eat
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. degree — from a university
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wound — an injury
  21. chip — for betting
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wound — an injury

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