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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. present — a gift
  3. press — a publisher
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fork — in a road
  10. spell — a short time
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. present — there
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. press — to push
  19. spell — magic
  20. file — a document
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. spell — letters
  24. present — the time now

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