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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mark — a trace
  3. press — newspapers
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. degree — temperature
  7. court — of law
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. lie — to recline
  10. race — the arms race
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kick — in football
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — humankind
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — from a university
  19. court — of a king
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. press — to push
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. court — for sport

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