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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. kid — to tease
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kid — child
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lie — to recline
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. chip — for betting

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