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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. land — to come down
  5. tear — from crying
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. race — humankind
  9. roll — a list
  10. tear — to rip
  11. land — a country
  12. race — a contest
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. land — ground
  16. foot — a measure
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. tear — from crying
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. race — the arms race
  23. chair — a leader
  24. foot — the bottom

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