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: press · rush · pound · rest · scale · wind

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wind — moving air
  3. press — newspapers
  4. pound — a weight
  5. press — a publisher
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — in music
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rest — a break
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. press — to push
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. rest — what's left

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