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 120 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: bore · rest · bear · bat · mate · lash · kid · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kid — child
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bore — to drill
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rest — a break
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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