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: bowl · club · bound · lash · ruler · wind · tube · arm

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bound — tied together
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. wind — moving air
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — a group
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. tube — a container
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. club — for dancing
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tube — in a tire

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