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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. branch — a division
  4. fall — the season
  5. rule — a law
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. press — newspapers
  8. season — of the year
  9. press — to push
  10. rule — government
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. pound — a weight
  13. season — in sport
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. kick — in football
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fall — to drop
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. press — a publisher
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fall — to drop

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