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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. snap — to click
  8. lean — to bend
  9. press — a publisher
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mark — a grade
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. band — a music group
  16. lean — thin
  17. band — a ring
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. press — to push
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mark — to pay attention

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