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: toast · pass · chip · race · lash · snap · face · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. face — to point toward
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. race — the arms race
  6. chip — for betting
  7. roll — a cake
  8. chip — to eat
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pass — a permit
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. face — to confront
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. race — humankind
  17. snap — to click
  18. race — a contest
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. roll — a list
  24. toast — bread

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