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 116 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: scale · wound · safe · lash · kid · drill · fine · stock

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. drill — army training
  4. scale — in music
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fine — high quality
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — size or range
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. drill — the tool
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — a practice
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fine — all right
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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