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: lie · mark · lash · staff · kick · snap · last · mine

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. last — final
  4. mark — a grade
  5. last — finally
  6. snap — to click
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. last — to go on
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. staff — a stick
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. kick — in football
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. staff — employees
  24. mark — a trace

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