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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. press — newspapers
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. rest — a break
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. chest — of your body
  9. press — to push
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. board — a committee
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. game — wild animals
  14. chest — a box
  15. board — to get on
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. press — a publisher
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. chest — of your body
  22. game — a match
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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