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 124 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 shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. press — newspapers
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. row — to paddle
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bass — low music
  11. date — the fruit
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. row — a line
  18. track — a path
  19. press — to push
  20. track — a song
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bass — the fish

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