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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. press — a publisher
  3. key — for a lock
  4. season — of the year
  5. fall — to drop
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. fall — the season
  13. press — to push
  14. key — in music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. season — in sport
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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