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: fall · pound · dip · rush · key · lean · lash · degree

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — hurry
  6. dip — to sink
  7. degree — temperature
  8. fall — to drop
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. key — for a lock
  11. degree — from a university
  12. key — in music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lean — thin
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fall — the season
  24. dip — a sauce

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