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: sharp · track · mark · scale · lash · ruler · pound · shower

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. mark — a trace
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pound — a weight
  15. shower — rain
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. track — to keep track
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. scale — size or range

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