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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rash — hasty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rash — a series
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. press — to push
  17. field — farmland
  18. deal — to handle
  19. press — a publisher
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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