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 · march · chest · ruler · toast · press

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. press — a publisher
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. toast — bread
  6. board — a committee
  7. chest — a box
  8. march — the month
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. march — music
  11. press — newspapers
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. chest — of your body
  14. press — to push
  15. march — the month
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. chest — of your body
  18. board — to get on

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