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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mark — a grade
  3. toast — bread
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. plane — a tool
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. press — to push
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lean — to bend
  16. press — newspapers
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. toast — the most admired

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