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 · wound · temple · chair · rule · sharp · ball · mouse

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rule — government
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wound — an injury
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rule — a law
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. wound — an injury

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