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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. key — for a lock
  3. press — a publisher
  4. land — a country
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. press — to push
  8. dip — to sink
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. perch — the fish
  11. key — in music
  12. file — a document
  13. land — to come down
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. file — a tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. land — ground
  20. key — the most important part
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. file — a line of people
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fan — to cool the air

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