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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bear — the animal
  3. race — the arms race
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. press — a publisher
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — music
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — a contest
  15. bark — to shout
  16. plane — a tool
  17. press — newspapers
  18. race — humankind
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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