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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. press — to push
  3. mark — a trace
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. firm — a company
  9. press — a publisher
  10. row — a line
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. kick — in football
  13. firm — decided
  14. last — finally
  15. firm — steady
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. last — final
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. row — to paddle
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. last — to go on

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