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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ground — crushed
  3. press — a publisher
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tear — from crying
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. tear — to rip
  14. scale — in music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — size or range
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — the earth

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