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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bore — to drill
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. chip — for betting
  21. clip — a video
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. rest — a break
  24. perch — for a bird

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