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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bass — the fish
  3. shower — to wash
  4. press — to push
  5. shower — rain
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. last — final
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. roll — a cake
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — finally
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. roll — a list
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bass — low music

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