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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bore — to tire
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. hand — in cards
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. sharp — clever
  13. hand — help
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bore — to drill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lash — to lash out

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