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: cue · pass · press · bark · rash · arm · tube · tear

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. tear — to rip
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cue — for pool
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cue — a hint
  10. press — to push
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rash — hasty
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rash — a series
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tube — a container
  24. pass — to succeed

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