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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. press — newspapers
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ground — a position
  6. press — to push
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. tube — a container
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. court — of law
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wound — an injury
  17. board — a committee
  18. suit — clothes
  19. press — a publisher
  20. court — of a king
  21. board — to get on
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. court — for sport
  24. lie — to recline

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