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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. tube — the underground
  6. kick — in football
  7. fork — in a road
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to click
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. tube — a container

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