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: cold · date · ruler · bank · pitch · face · stick · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bank — for money
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. face — to confront
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cold — an illness
  14. bank — for money
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. face — part of the head
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cold — not warm

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