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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. press — a publisher
  4. squash — to crush
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. scale — size or range
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. squash — the sport
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — a company
  14. prune — to trim
  15. snap — to click
  16. scale — in music
  17. firm — decided
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. firm — steady
  21. prune — to trim
  22. press — to push
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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