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: lash · rock · swing · wax · bank · wind · face · press

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. press — to push
  9. face — to confront
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. swing — music
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wind — moving air
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bank — of a river
  21. wind — moving air
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bank — for money
  24. rock — music

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