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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rock — music
  3. last — finally
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — a stone
  9. present — the time now
  10. vault — a safe
  11. staff — employees
  12. last — final
  13. present — there
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. press — a publisher
  16. present — a gift
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. press — to push
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. staff — a stick
  21. last — to go on
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. dip — to sink
  24. press — newspapers

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