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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. board — a committee
  4. lie — to recline
  5. spell — letters
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pit — in a race
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. spell — magic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — a hole
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. press — to push
  22. board — to get on
  23. press — a publisher
  24. ruler — for measuring

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