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 120 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 · clip · cabinet · mug · season · lie · capital · chair

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mug — a cup
  3. clip — to cut
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. season — of the year
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. season — in sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a leader
  13. capital — a city
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mug — a face
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. clip — a video
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. lie — to recline
  21. clip — for paper
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. capital — money

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