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 120 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: dip · stand · nail · game · board · lean · tear · lash

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. board — to get on
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. tear — from crying
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. stand — to bear
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tear — to rip
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. game — a match
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. board — a committee
  22. lean — thin
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. dip — a sauce

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