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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chest — a box
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — the amount
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. chest — of your body
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. chest — of your body
  23. content — happy
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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