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 · row · season · rule · lash · nail · rock · current

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. season — of the year
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. current — electric
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rule — a law
  9. press — newspapers
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. row — a line
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. press — to push
  15. rock — music
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — a stone
  18. row — to paddle
  19. season — in sport
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. current — happening now
  22. rule — government
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. press — a publisher

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