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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. press — newspapers
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. press — a publisher
  6. file — a document
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. capital — a city
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. press — to push
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. capital — money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. file — a line of people
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chair — to sit on

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