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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — help
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. hand — in cards
  6. press — a publisher
  7. press — newspapers
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. press — to push
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pound — for dogs

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