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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. net — for catching
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bark — to shout
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. net — after costs
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. press — a publisher
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — a tool
  15. net — in sport
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. clip — a video
  18. race — humankind
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. clip — to cut
  24. fan — a supporter

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