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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. roll — a cake
  3. present — there
  4. press — a publisher
  5. prune — to trim
  6. present — the time now
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. press — newspapers
  16. roll — a list
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — to push
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. present — a gift
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. prune — to trim

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