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 120 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: lash · pound · fork · root · charge · press · lie · wave

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. press — a publisher
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. charge — in control
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. press — newspapers
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. charge — a price
  16. fork — in a road
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. press — to push
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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