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: track · scale · mark · mouse · tear · lash · coach · hand

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mark — a grade
  12. scale — size or range
  13. mark — a trace
  14. track — a song
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. hand — help
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tear — from crying
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. scale — in music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. hand — in cards

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