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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. file — a tool
  3. rock — music
  4. date — the fruit
  5. lie — to recline
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rock — a stone
  8. file — a document
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. net — for catching
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. press — to push
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chip — to eat
  18. net — in sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. file — a line of people
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. net — after costs
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. press — newspapers

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