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: lash · chip · jam · land · plane · roll · bound · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. roll — a list
  4. land — to come down
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. roll — a cake
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. land — a country
  13. bound — certain
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bound — tied together
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. kick — in football
  19. bound — obliged
  20. land — ground
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. chip — to eat

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