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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. press — to push
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. current — electric
  5. press — a publisher
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. current — of water
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. staff — employees
  12. ball — a dance
  13. staff — a stick
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. press — newspapers
  20. current — happening now
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — to sink
  24. staff — employees

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