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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — to bear
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. kid — child
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lean — to bend
  14. kid — to tease
  15. press — to push
  16. lean — thin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. press — newspapers
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. lash — an eyelash

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