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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — to bend
  9. club — for dancing
  10. key — for a lock
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. key — in music
  13. club — for golf
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. club — a group
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bat — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — thin
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. lie — an untruth

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