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: chip · chair · lash · can · lean · fan · rush · cabinet

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — to eat
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. rush — hurry
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. can — a tin
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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