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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. press — newspapers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. land — ground
  9. bulb — for light
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wound — an injury
  15. land — to come down
  16. pop — music
  17. land — a country
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. press — a publisher
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. press — to push

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