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: racket · board · press · trunk · land · stock · lash · face

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. press — a publisher
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. press — newspapers
  5. land — a country
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. stock — shares
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. land — to come down
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. land — ground
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — goods
  18. board — a committee
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. board — to get on
  23. face — to point toward
  24. board — a flat piece

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