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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. ground — crushed
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. press — to push
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ground — a position
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cell — in biology
  12. press — a publisher
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. band — a music group
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. band — a ring
  20. cue — a signal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ground — the earth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cell — a phone

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