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 120 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: lash · rush · bass · charge · bulb · wave · press · club

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. club — for golf
  3. charge — electricity
  4. club — a group
  5. charge — a price
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. charge — in control
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bass — low music
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bass — the instrument

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