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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. press — newspapers
  5. band — a ring
  6. pit — a hole
  7. spell — letters
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kid — child
  11. pit — in a race
  12. band — a music group
  13. firm — steady
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. firm — a company
  16. kid — to tease
  17. firm — decided
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — to lash out

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