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: saw · bay · snap · press · board · hide · foot · bulb

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bulb — for light
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. snap — to click
  16. press — newspapers
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. foot — a measure
  23. board — a committee
  24. hide — to keep secret

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