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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stock — goods
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. press — a publisher
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stock — shares
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bass — low music
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wind — to turn a key

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