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: press · degree · cue · rash · ball · deal · lash · cap

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cap — a lid
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. degree — an amount
  17. cap — of ice
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rash — hasty
  22. press — a publisher
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cue — for pool

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