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: press · temple · club · land · current · drill · kick · lash

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. kick — in football
  7. land — ground
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. current — of water
  10. press — a publisher
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — happening now
  13. drill — the tool
  14. land — a country
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. club — for dancing
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. land — to come down
  19. current — electric
  20. club — a group
  21. press — to push
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. club — for golf
  24. press — newspapers

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