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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — a company
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. press — to push
  5. fork — in a road
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bound — certain
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bulb — for light
  11. press — a publisher
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tube — a container
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bound — tied together
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. firm — steady
  23. rock — music
  24. firm — decided

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