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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mug — a cup
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. press — to push
  8. sharp — clever
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. net — in sport
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mug — a face
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bank — for money
  19. wind — moving air
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. net — after costs
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — of a tree

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