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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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. branch — of a bank
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. row — a line
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. clip — for paper
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. clip — to cut
  18. branch — a division
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. row — to paddle
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. pit — in a race
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mug — a face

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