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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bulb — for light
  3. press — a publisher
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. track — a path
  6. present — a gift
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. press — newspapers
  9. track — a song
  10. face — part of the head
  11. present — there
  12. cue — for pool
  13. press — to push
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. cue — a signal
  18. present — the time now
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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