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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. press — a publisher
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. pound — a weight
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. current — electric
  19. fall — the season
  20. current — of water
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. current — happening now
  24. safe — out of danger

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