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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rash — hasty
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rash — a series
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. chest — a box
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rule — a law
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ball — a dance
  19. face — to confront
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rule — government
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chest — of your body

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