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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. tear — from crying
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. press — to push
  8. season — of the year
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. press — newspapers
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. tear — from crying
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. tear — to rip
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pass — a permit
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pass — to succeed

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