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: land · lash · stock · mug · wind · charge · lie · safe

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. charge — in control
  3. mug — a cup
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. stock — goods
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mug — a face
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — shares
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. land — to come down
  20. mug — to rob
  21. wind — moving air
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wind — moving air

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