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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fall — the season
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pass — a permit
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. press — to push
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. snap — to click
  16. squash — the sport
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. press — a publisher
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rush — hurry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pass — to spend time

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