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: last · suit · chip · file · lash · stand · mouse · mine

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. file — a document
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stand — to bear
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. mine — for digging
  24. last — finally

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