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 · content · patient · bank · lash · arm · rash · toast

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. content — happy
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bank — for money
  4. content — the amount
  5. press — to push
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. press — a publisher
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. toast — bread
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rash — a series
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bank — for money
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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