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 116 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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. drill — army training
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chip — to eat
  13. spell — magic
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. cell — a phone
  19. ground — a position
  20. drill — the tool
  21. press — newspapers
  22. cell — in biology
  23. spell — letters
  24. mouse — the animal

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