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: wound · rock · lash · temple · rule · firm · fall · pitch

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rule — a law
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. firm — steady
  7. rock — a stone
  8. firm — a company
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wound — an injury
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rock — music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. firm — decided
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. fall — the season
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rule — government

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