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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mate — a partner
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. game — a match
  9. lean — to bend
  10. press — to push
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bank — of a river
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lean — thin
  17. game — wild animals
  18. press — a publisher
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — for money
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. tear — to rip
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mate — a friend

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