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: foot · tube · toast · last · bear · straw · lash · charge

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. tube — the underground
  3. last — to go on
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bear — the animal
  6. toast — bread
  7. foot — a measure
  8. last — finally
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. last — final
  12. tube — a container
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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