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: rock · stick · ruler · cell · press · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rock — music
  4. press — to push
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cell — a phone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cell — in biology

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