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 · bank · content · kid · pass · game · mug · lie

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bank — for money
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. content — happy
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pass — a permit
  14. kid — child
  15. mug — to rob
  16. game — a match
  17. kid — to tease
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mug — a cup
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — an untruth

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