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 116 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: craft · season · tube · lash · bank · pound · press · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pop — soda
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bank — for money
  6. press — newspapers
  7. craft — boats
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pop — music
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. pound — a weight
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. tube — the underground
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. season — in sport
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. tube — a container
  20. bank — for money
  21. press — to push
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bank — of a river
  24. season — of the year

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