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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bore — to tire
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. press — newspapers
  6. game — a match
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. game — wild animals
  12. press — a publisher
  13. track — a song
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bore — to drill
  17. press — to push
  18. track — a path
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lean — thin
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cabinet — ministers

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