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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. lean — to bend
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cap — of ice
  10. press — to push
  11. toast — bread
  12. cap — a hat
  13. press — a publisher
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. current — happening now
  16. mine — for digging
  17. press — newspapers
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cap — a lid
  24. lean — thin

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