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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tear — from crying
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. press — to push
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. press — a publisher
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. press — newspapers
  11. prune — to trim
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lean — thin
  17. tear — to rip
  18. foot — a measure
  19. charge — a price
  20. tear — from crying
  21. can — a tin
  22. charge — electricity
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. foot — part of the body

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