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

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bound — obliged
  7. drill — army training
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. game — a match
  10. bark — to shout
  11. drill — a practice
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. press — to push
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. game — wild animals
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. drill — the tool

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