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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. press — to push
  4. game — a match
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. wake — a trail
  8. foot — a measure
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. land — ground
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — wild animals
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. current — happening now

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