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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — to push
  6. tube — a container
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mate — a friend
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. toast — bread
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. press — newspapers
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. rock — music
  21. press — a publisher
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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