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: season · spell · lash · pit · mark · band · press · game

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. pit — in a race
  3. game — wild animals
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. game — a match
  8. season — of the year
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. press — newspapers
  11. season — in sport
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — letters
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. band — a music group
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pit — a hole
  21. press — to push
  22. band — a ring
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. game — a kind of play

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