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 124 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. press — to push
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. row — a line
  7. bat — the animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mark — a grade
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mark — a trace
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. press — newspapers
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mark — to pay attention

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