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 120 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: kick · lash · clip · charge · mark · calf · mate · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mate — to breed
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. charge — a price
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — electricity
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — to cut
  11. mate — a partner
  12. clip — a video
  13. charge — in control
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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