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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. rest — what's left
  3. press — to push
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ground — a position
  11. press — a publisher
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. ground — crushed
  15. season — in sport
  16. rest — a break
  17. press — newspapers
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rule — a law
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. rest — what's left
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitcher — a jug

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