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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a tool
  4. press — a publisher
  5. tube — a container
  6. court — of law
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. court — for sport
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. court — of a king
  11. lean — to bend
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. file — a document
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. object — a thing
  16. lean — thin
  17. file — a line of people
  18. object — an aim
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. press — newspapers
  23. object — to protest
  24. press — to push

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