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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. track — a song
  5. press — to push
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. suit — clothes
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. press — a publisher
  12. kick — in football
  13. bulb — for light
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bulb — for light
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. game — a match
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. shower — rain
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. suit — to fit

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