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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. press — newspapers
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. press — to push
  11. tear — from crying
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. ball — a great time
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a round shape
  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