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: press · fan · board · lash · temple · arm · cell · snap

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cell — in biology
  5. press — to push
  6. board — a committee
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. snap — to click
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. press — newspapers
  17. cell — a phone
  18. board — to get on
  19. press — a publisher
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lash — to lash out
  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