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're almost out of ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. row — to paddle
  6. face — to point toward
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pop — to visit
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. press — a publisher
  15. row — a line
  16. face — part of the head
  17. fork — in a road
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. face — to confront
  24. pop — music

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