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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. press — a publisher
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ground — a position
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ground — crushed
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. spell — magic
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. spell — letters
  16. press — to push
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rock — music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — a stone
  24. ground — the earth

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