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: march · tube · snap · lash · ball · nail · pass · pound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. march — the month
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. tube — the underground
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — a container
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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