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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. march — the month
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. press — newspapers
  8. face — to point toward
  9. march — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. press — a publisher
  12. present — there
  13. craft — a skill
  14. march — the month
  15. face — to confront
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. firm — a company
  24. current — of water

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