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: lash · rash · bore · mug · pit · temple · ball · mine

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. ball — a dance
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rash — a series
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mug — a face
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — an eyelash

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