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: hide · lash · bore · content · pitcher · arm · hand · club

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. hand — help
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. content — happy
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. club — a group
  15. content — the amount
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. club — for golf
  24. hide — to keep secret

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