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 · bass · club · calf · temple · land · can · pass

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bass — low music
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. club — for dancing
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. land — a country
  13. can — a tin
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. club — a group
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. land — to come down
  19. can — a tin
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bass — the fish
  23. land — ground
  24. calf — of the leg

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