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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. file — a document
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. file — a tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. club — a group
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — to paddle
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. club — for golf
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rule — government
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rule — a law
  21. bulb — for light
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. row — a line

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