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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rush — hurry
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — for sculpting

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