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: bank · lash · racket · hide · charge · rule · mate · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — a law
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. charge — electricity
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — a price
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rule — government
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rule — to rule out

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