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: fan · race · clip · bore · bank · mine · lash · dip

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. clip — to cut
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. race — humankind
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. clip — a video
  9. bank — of a river
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bore — to drill
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bank — for money
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. race — a contest
  24. fan — a supporter

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