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

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. net — after costs
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. race — a contest
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — the arms race
  17. net — for catching
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — for pool
  21. race — humankind
  22. net — in sport
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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