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: stick · lash · land · leaves · bank · rule · last · mark

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. land — to come down
  6. bank — of a river
  7. last — final
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rule — government
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. land — a country
  13. mark — a grade
  14. last — finally
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. land — ground
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rule — a law
  22. last — to go on
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — lets stay

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