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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. spring — a coil
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. spring — the season
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. club — a group
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. club — for golf
  14. swing — music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spring — of water
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — a publisher
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. swing — to play on

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