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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. press — to push
  5. mug — a cup
  6. press — a publisher
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mug — to rob
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mug — a face
  16. hand — help
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. plane — a tool

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