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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to bend
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. press — a publisher
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fine — high quality
  22. press — newspapers
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bulb — for light

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