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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pass — a permit
  5. root — the cause
  6. march — music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. press — to push
  13. root — of a word
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. march — the month
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. press — newspapers
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fine — all right
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. march — the month

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