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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. press — to push
  3. chip — to eat
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. press — a publisher
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. face — to confront
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. chip — for betting
  21. face — part of the head
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — newspapers
  24. fork — a garden tool

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