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 120 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. press — a publisher
  10. can — to be able to
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. object — a thing
  13. stand — to bear
  14. object — an aim
  15. kick — in football
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. net — for catching
  18. object — to protest
  19. net — after costs
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. net — in sport
  24. press — newspapers

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