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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bark — to shout
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. last — finally
  9. press — to push
  10. rest — what's left
  11. last — final
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. last — to go on
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. rest — what's left
  18. march — music
  19. face — to point toward
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. staff — a stick

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