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: lash · coach · lie · face · sharp · track · mark · chest

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. lie — to recline
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. chest — a box
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mark — a trace
  14. sharp — clever
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — to confront
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lash — an eyelash

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