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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. firm — decided
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. press — a publisher
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. firm — a company
  9. deal — to handle
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. firm — steady
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. press — newspapers
  21. snap — to click
  22. press — to push
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. deal — an agreement

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