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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bear — the animal
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pound — a weight
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. press — to push
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fall — to drop
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. key — the most important part
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fall — the season
  17. kid — child
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. key — in music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pitch — completely
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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