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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — army training
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bore — to tire
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. firm — decided

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