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: bowl · bank · board · lash · spell · pass · lie · kid

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. board — to get on
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. kid — child
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. board — a committee
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bank — for money
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. kid — to tease
  16. spell — letters
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — of a river

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