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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wind — moving air
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. squash — the sport
  10. press — newspapers
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bound — certain
  15. tube — a container
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. squash — to crush
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — tied together
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pit — a hole

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