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 120 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: object · press · fan · mine · sharp · hide

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. press — newspapers
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. object — to protest
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. object — an aim
  9. press — to push
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. sharp — clever
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. object — a thing

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