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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lean — to bend
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. clip — a video
  18. mine — for digging
  19. club — for dancing
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. clip — to cut
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. clip — for paper

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