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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mug — to rob
  4. press — a publisher
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. press — to push
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. press — newspapers
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pit — a hole

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