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: dip · object · charge · cold · bulb · rest · lash · trunk

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rest — what's left
  5. object — an aim
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — to protest
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. charge — in control
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. charge — a price
  16. object — a thing
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. cold — an illness
  24. rest — a break

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