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: lash · root · band · stick · pound · ruler · cue · track

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cue — a hint
  3. track — a path
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. track — a song
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pound — a weight
  8. band — a music group
  9. root — of a plant
  10. band — a ring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — for pool
  16. root — of a word
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. root — the cause
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. cue — a signal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. track — to keep track
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pound — to hit hard

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