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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stand — to bear
  5. degree — temperature
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. press — newspapers
  12. degree — an amount
  13. rock — music
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. press — to push
  17. degree — from a university
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. press — a publisher
  24. rock — to move gently

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