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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: press · lash · ground · mouse · rest · bark

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ground — the earth
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bark — to shout
  9. press — a publisher
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rest — what's left
  15. press — to push
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break

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