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: board · kick · present · hide · press · perch

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — a committee
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. press — a publisher
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. board — to get on
  13. present — the time now
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. press — newspapers
  17. perch — the fish
  18. press — to push

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