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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. last — finally
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitch — completely
  7. press — to push
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. bound — obliged
  12. can — a tin
  13. bound — certain
  14. chair — a leader
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — newspapers
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. last — final
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bound — tied together

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