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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · ruler · press · kid · pit · vault

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. 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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. press — a publisher
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. press — newspapers
  9. vault — a safe
  10. press — to push
  11. pit — a hole
  12. kid — child
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bear — the animal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bear — the animal
  18. 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