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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. dip — to sink
  4. press — a publisher
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ground — a position
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bank — for money
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. cold — not warm
  14. press — newspapers
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cold — an illness
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bank — of a river
  21. suit — in cards
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. press — to push
  24. dip — a sauce

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