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: rock · mate · chip · lash · net · trunk · rash · chair

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. net — in sport
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mate — to breed
  10. net — for catching
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rash — a series
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. net — after costs
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lash — an eyelash

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