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 116 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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mug — a face
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — for digging
  8. can — a tin
  9. press — to push
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wound — an injury
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — a cup
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. clip — to cut
  21. rash — a series
  22. clip — a video
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. press — a publisher

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