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: cell · press · bore · fan · cabinet · ruler

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — ministers

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