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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. press — a publisher
  4. firm — decided
  5. cell — in biology
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pit — a hole
  12. firm — a company
  13. press — to push
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. cell — a phone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pit — in a race
  24. nail — on a finger

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