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: bound · fine · pound · lash · game · hand · leaves · hide

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. hand — help
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bound — certain
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. fine — all right
  18. game — a match
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. hide — animal skin

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