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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rest — a break
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. press — newspapers
  7. race — humankind
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. race — the arms race
  10. rush — hurry
  11. shower — rain
  12. press — a publisher
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. press — to push
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. race — a contest
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — to wash

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