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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. press — to push
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — a thing
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spell — magic
  10. saw — the tool
  11. press — a publisher
  12. object — an aim
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. firm — decided
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. firm — steady
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. firm — a company
  20. press — newspapers
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. object — to protest

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