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

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rash — a series
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. press — newspapers
  5. band — a music group
  6. chest — of your body
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — to point toward
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rush — hurry
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. chest — a box
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chest — of your body
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — to push
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. face — part of the head

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