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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mate — to breed
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bound — tied together
  7. press — to push
  8. kick — in football
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. staff — a stick
  12. press — newspapers
  13. hand — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. staff — employees
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mate — a partner
  19. hand — help
  20. bound — certain
  21. staff — employees
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. press — a publisher

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