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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  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. squash — the sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. tube — a container
  5. present — a gift
  6. row — a line
  7. fine — all right
  8. pit — in a race
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fine — high quality
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. press — a publisher
  22. row — to paddle
  23. press — newspapers
  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