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: patient · tear · toast · press · lean · ball

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tear — to rip
  4. press — a publisher
  5. toast — bread
  6. ball — a dance
  7. tear — from crying
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lean — to bend
  11. tear — from crying
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lean — thin
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. ball — a great time
  17. patient — a sick person
  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