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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. squash — to crush
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. current — happening now
  7. tube — a container
  8. chip — for betting
  9. current — electric
  10. squash — the sport
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. current — of water
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stand — to bear
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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