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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. wax — to grow
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pop — music
  8. press — a publisher
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. spell — a short time
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. spell — letters
  19. pop — soda
  20. spell — magic
  21. press — newspapers
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wax — in the ear

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