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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. press — to push
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mug — to rob
  9. press — a publisher
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. spell — magic
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. press — newspapers
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — not warm
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mug — a face
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cold — an illness
  24. scale — in music

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