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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. swing — to play on
  5. press — a publisher
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. swing — in golf
  9. press — to push
  10. toast — bread
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rock — music
  15. press — newspapers
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — a trail
  20. shower — to wash
  21. swing — music
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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