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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. press — newspapers
  3. squash — to crush
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. land — a country
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. land — ground
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pop — soda
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pop — to visit
  12. press — to push
  13. pop — music
  14. press — a publisher
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. fine — all right
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — the sport
  22. pass — a permit
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. straw — dry grass

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