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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. tube — a container
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. can — a tin
  5. fall — the season
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. press — newspapers
  11. press — a publisher
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — a tin
  14. squash — the sport
  15. can — to be able to
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. squash — to crush
  19. stock — goods
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stock — shares

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