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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fine — all right
  6. snap — to click
  7. last — to go on
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. last — final
  10. bat — the animal
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. last — finally
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. press — to push
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. press — a publisher
  19. fine — high quality
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rush — hurry
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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