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: patient · charge · ruler · rest · rash · press · lash · clip

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. press — a publisher
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. press — to push
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — a video
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rash — hasty
  16. clip — for paper
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — electricity
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. press — newspapers
  24. rash — a series

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