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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. race — humankind
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lean — thin
  8. bound — certain
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lean — to bend
  12. toast — bread
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. shower — rain
  17. race — a contest
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — tied together
  20. race — the arms race
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bound — obliged
  24. shower — to wash

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