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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. pound — a weight
  3. press — to push
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a line
  6. root — of a plant
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. press — a publisher
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. last — finally
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. last — final
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — the cause
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. press — newspapers
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pound — for dogs

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