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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. press — to push
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fine — all right
  5. press — newspapers
  6. cold — not warm
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — a thing
  11. last — final
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. object — to protest

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