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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. press — newspapers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. rock — music
  6. band — a ring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bank — of a river
  10. face — to confront
  11. press — to push
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — letters
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. face — part of the head
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bank — for money
  23. lie — to recline
  24. band — a music group

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