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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rash — a series
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. press — a publisher
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — to cut
  10. mate — a partner
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lie — to recline
  15. press — to push
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. clip — for paper
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mate — to breed
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. sharp — exactly

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