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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. press — a publisher
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. press — to push
  6. press — newspapers
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. drill — a practice
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. bark — to shout
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bark — a dog's sound

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