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: swing · dip · arm · kick · lash · bound · drill · pound

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bound — obliged
  6. drill — army training
  7. swing — in golf
  8. kick — in football
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. drill — a practice
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. drill — the tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. dip — to sink
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bound — certain
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bound — tied together
  22. swing — music
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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