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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. press — to push
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. track — a path
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. track — to keep track
  14. hand — help
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. press — newspapers
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. hand — in cards

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