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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. club — a group
  3. clip — a video
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. club — for golf
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stock — shares
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — for paper
  11. press — newspapers
  12. chip — for betting
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — to bear
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stock — goods
  20. rush — hurry
  21. club — for dancing
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. chip — in a computer

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