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: degree · lash · mark · pitcher · tear · rash · saw · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. degree — from a university
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. tube — the underground
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — a series
  13. degree — temperature
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mark — a grade
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rash — hasty
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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