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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — boats
  5. fall — to drop
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. press — newspapers
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — a skill
  11. chip — to eat
  12. staff — employees
  13. face — part of the head
  14. staff — employees
  15. press — to push
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. key — the most important part
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chip — for betting
  20. key — for a lock
  21. staff — a stick
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. key — in music

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