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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. shower — to wash
  3. track — a song
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — a tin
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. shower — rain
  12. track — a path
  13. bank — for money
  14. track — to keep track
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. band — a music group
  17. sharp — clever
  18. band — a ring
  19. bank — for money
  20. press — a publisher
  21. can — a tin
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. press — to push
  24. can — to be able to

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