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: object · chip · straw · fork · foot · hide · key · lash

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. object — a thing
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — in a road
  11. object — an aim
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. object — to protest
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. hide — to keep secret

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