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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lean — thin
  7. chest — a box
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chest — of your body
  12. drill — army training
  13. chest — of your body
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. drill — a practice
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. lean — to bend
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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