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 · lash · cold · bank · rush · wound · chip · hand

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. hand — help
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bank — for money
  5. object — a thing
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. object — an aim
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rush — hurry
  19. object — to protest
  20. hand — in cards
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cold — an illness
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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