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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. march — music
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. march — the month
  12. tube — a container
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. season — of the year
  19. bore — to tire
  20. march — the month
  21. tube — the underground
  22. season — in sport
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. straw — dry grass

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