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: temple · bat · lash · prune · snap · press · date · chip

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. press — newspapers
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. prune — to trim
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. press — a publisher
  9. chip — for betting
  10. snap — to click
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. press — to push
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. chip — to eat
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. date — the fruit
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. prune — to trim

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