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 · face · lash · lie · toast · squash · rush · can

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. face — to confront
  4. toast — bread
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to point toward
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rush — hurry
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — to crush

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