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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bank — for money
  3. stock — shares
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — newspapers
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mine — for digging
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. press — a publisher
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. stock — goods
  20. bore — to drill
  21. press — to push
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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