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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. last — finally
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bat — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. last — to go on
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fine — high quality
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. last — final
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fine — all right
  24. wind — moving air

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