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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. tube — the underground
  3. hand — help
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. object — a thing
  9. press — a publisher
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. object — to protest
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hand — in cards
  18. press — to push
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bulb — for light
  23. object — an aim
  24. 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