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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bound — tied together
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — the tool
  6. spell — letters
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. kid — child
  11. press — a publisher
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. kid — to tease
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. drill — army training
  22. snap — to click
  23. bound — certain
  24. drill — a practice

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