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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. prune — to trim
  3. content — the amount
  4. press — a publisher
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. prune — to trim
  7. content — happy
  8. press — newspapers
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. press — to push
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. kid — to tease
  13. kid — child
  14. tube — the underground
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. tube — a container
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. present — there
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. present — a gift
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. present — the time now
  24. snap — to click

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