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: sharp · lash · staff · land · toast · board · lie · roll

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. land — to come down
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. roll — a list
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. staff — a stick
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. board — a committee
  16. staff — employees
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — to get on
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. land — a country
  24. staff — employees

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