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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. face — to confront
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. press — to push
  9. bear — the animal
  10. band — a ring
  11. face — part of the head
  12. band — a music group
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chest — a box
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cue — for pool
  24. face — to point toward

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