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: bore · lash · nail · bat · sharp · rash · club · firm

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. firm — steady
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. club — a group
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. firm — decided
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. club — for golf
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rash — a series
  18. firm — a company
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rash — hasty
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. nail — on a finger

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