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: mine · lash · rash · club · mouse · pound · wake · plane

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pound — a weight
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — a group
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rash — a series
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. club — for golf
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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