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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · ruler · toast · lie · lash · charge · wave · field

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. charge — a price
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pop — to visit
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. toast — bread
  12. charge — electricity
  13. field — a subject
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. charge — in control
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. field — farmland
  19. pop — music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. field — for sport
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pop — soda
  24. wave — of the sea

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