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: pop · present · lie · mouse · press · lash · nail · mine

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. pop — music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. present — a gift
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pop — to visit
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. press — a publisher
  10. mine — for digging
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. press — to push
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pop — soda
  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