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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — to push
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rush — hurry
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. swing — music
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. swing — in golf
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — newspapers
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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