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. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. press — newspapers
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. row — a line
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cap — a hat
  9. shower — rain
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. row — to paddle
  15. toast — bread
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. press — a publisher
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. plane — a tool
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. shower — to wash

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