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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. charge — in control
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. press — newspapers
  6. can — to be able to
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. kick — in football
  9. press — to push
  10. charge — a price
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. can — a tin

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