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: sharp · pit · lash · wave · press · present · bark · pop

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. press — to push
  6. pop — music
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pop — soda
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. sharp — clever
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. present — a gift
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. present — the time now
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bark — to shout
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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