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 · lash · fine · lean · perch · sharp · capital · bat

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. capital — money
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lean — thin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lean — to bend
  11. perch — the fish
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. capital — a city
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bat — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. sharp — clever
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fine — all right

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