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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bass — low music
  5. pass — a permit
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bass — the fish
  8. press — to push
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. press — a publisher
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ground — a position
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rest — a break
  24. hand — help

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