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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. clip — a video
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rest — a break
  6. club — for dancing
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. club — a group
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. clip — for paper
  14. dip — to sink
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bore — to tire
  17. club — for golf
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. rest — what's left
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. bore — to drill
  24. face — part of the head

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