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: press · lie · current · last · march · arm · dip · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. march — the month
  6. press — to push
  7. march — the month
  8. last — final
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lie — to recline
  11. last — finally
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cue — a hint
  15. press — a publisher
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. last — to go on
  18. cue — a signal
  19. march — music
  20. press — newspapers
  21. dip — to sink
  22. current — electric
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lie — an untruth

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