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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  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. court — of law
  3. rash — hasty
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bound — certain
  7. court — of a king
  8. rash — a series
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. press — to push
  19. court — for sport
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — obliged
  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