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 116 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: lash · pound · drill · fork · wave · can · club · prune

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. fork — in a road
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. pound — a weight
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. club — for dancing
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. can — a tin
  21. drill — army training
  22. can — a tin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. prune — to trim

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