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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bass — the fish
  3. lean — thin
  4. bass — low music
  5. press — a publisher
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — all right
  8. clip — a video
  9. press — newspapers
  10. clip — to cut
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. press — to push
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. clip — for paper
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rest — a break
  23. rock — music
  24. bass — the instrument

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