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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. press — a publisher
  3. charge — a price
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — a friend
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. charge — electricity
  15. press — newspapers
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. press — to push
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mate — to breed
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of a car

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