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: mug · board · pitch · land · temple · kid · mark · lash

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. kid — child
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — ground
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. land — a country
  10. board — a committee
  11. mark — a trace
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mug — a cup
  14. land — to come down
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mug — to rob
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pitch — completely

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