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 120 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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. press — newspapers
  3. kid — to tease
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. press — to push
  6. present — a gift
  7. kid — child
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. rule — government
  13. bulb — for light
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. rule — a law
  16. foot — a measure
  17. present — the time now
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. press — a publisher
  24. straw — a straw man

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