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: leaves · kick · racket · press · present · kid

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. press — to push
  4. present — there
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — child
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. press — a publisher
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. press — newspapers
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kick — in football

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