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 116 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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. lean — thin
  3. mug — to rob
  4. current — of water
  5. press — a publisher
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. spring — of water
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mug — a face
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — happening now
  12. spring — the season
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. spring — a coil
  17. squash — the sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lean — to bend
  20. press — newspapers
  21. current — electric
  22. mug — a cup
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — to tire

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