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: wind · shower · pit · tube · press · lash · arm · stick

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. pit — a hole
  7. shower — to wash
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. tube — the underground
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. wind — moving air
  19. tube — a container
  20. press — to push
  21. shower — rain
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — part of the body

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