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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. press — a publisher
  8. land — to come down
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. clip — for paper
  12. land — ground
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. press — to push
  16. land — a country
  17. clip — to cut
  18. clip — a video
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rule — government
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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