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: deal · kid · lash · pass · land · object · wave · bound

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. object — an aim
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bound — obliged
  7. object — a thing
  8. pass — a permit
  9. land — to come down
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. object — to protest
  14. kid — child
  15. bound — tied together
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bound — certain
  18. land — ground
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. land — a country

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