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 120 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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. press — newspapers
  2. clip — to cut
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bore — to tire
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bore — to drill
  7. press — to push
  8. pitch — completely
  9. last — to go on
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. suit — to fit
  12. last — finally
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. last — final
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. suit — clothes
  21. charge — a price
  22. clip — a video
  23. charge — in control
  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