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 · saw · plane · press · net · lash · clip · vault

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. press — newspapers
  6. spring — of water
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. spring — a coil
  10. saw — the tool
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. press — to push
  13. clip — a video
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. net — in sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spring — the season
  20. clip — to cut
  21. press — a publisher
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. net — for catching

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