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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — all right
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air

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