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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. land — a country
  3. press — newspapers
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bound — certain
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. land — ground
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — a publisher
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bound — tied together
  18. press — to push
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. file — a document
  24. land — to come down

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