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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. face — to confront
  3. mug — to rob
  4. suit — to fit
  5. face — to point toward
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mate — a friend
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tear — from crying
  11. mate — to breed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. press — newspapers
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. mug — a cup
  17. tear — from crying
  18. perch — the fish
  19. tear — to rip
  20. mug — a face
  21. press — to push
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mate — a partner
  24. suit — in cards

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