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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. press — newspapers
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. season — of the year
  13. branch — a division
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. press — to push
  16. game — a match
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. game — wild animals

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