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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. press — newspapers
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. press — a publisher
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. press — to push
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. rush — to hurry

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