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: roll · fork · arm · lash · face · lie · drill · bank

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. roll — a cake
  2. face — to confront
  3. bank — for money
  4. drill — army training
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fork — in a road
  9. roll — a list
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bank — for money
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. drill — the tool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. drill — a practice
  20. face — part of the head
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. arm — part of the body
  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