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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. press — a publisher
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. press — newspapers
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rock — a stone
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ball — a dance
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. race — a contest
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rock — music
  16. face — to confront
  17. press — to push
  18. race — the arms race
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. face — part of the head
  21. race — humankind
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hide — animal skin

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