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: band · stem · press · content · nail · can · lash · object

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — a thing
  4. press — to push
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. press — a publisher
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. object — an aim
  10. can — a tin
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. band — a music group
  13. stem — to come from
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — happy
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. press — newspapers
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. band — a ring

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