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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. shower — rain
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — in sport
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. lie — to recline
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. press — a publisher
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pass — a permit
  16. press — newspapers
  17. fall — the season
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fall — to drop
  22. net — for catching
  23. press — to push
  24. lie — an untruth

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