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: cell · press · cap · wound · lash · bowl · mark · bark

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. press — to push
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cell — in biology
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bark — to shout
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cell — a phone

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