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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mate — a friend
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. press — to push
  9. clip — a video
  10. press — a publisher
  11. clip — for paper
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mark — a grade
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lean — thin
  24. clip — to cut

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