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: hide · club · lash · rule · press · snap

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — for golf
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. rule — government
  10. snap — to click
  11. rule — a law
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. press — a publisher
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. club — a group

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