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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. press — newspapers
  3. rule — a law
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. lean — thin
  7. press — a publisher
  8. rule — government
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wind — moving air
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wind — moving air
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — in sport
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. press — to push

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