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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. court — for sport
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bulb — for light
  6. court — of a king
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. court — of law
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pound — a weight
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fan — a supporter

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