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: cap · stick · mate · bowl · lie · temple · wind · lash

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. cap — a hat
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cap — a lid
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. cap — of ice
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mate — a partner
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bowl — a football final

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