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 · bay · charge · lash · craft · roll · pound · kid

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. roll — a list
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. craft — boats
  18. kid — child
  19. charge — electricity
  20. roll — a cake
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. hide — animal skin

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