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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. last — final
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. last — finally
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. last — to go on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — to lash out

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