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: spring · press · jam · lash · leaves · cap · nail · pit

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. cap — a hat
  9. spring — a coil
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pit — a hole
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. press — to push
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cap — of ice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. leaves — lets stay

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