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: leaves · bound · clip · snap · press · pop · ball · lean

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lean — thin
  3. bound — tied together
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pop — soda
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pop — to visit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pop — music
  15. clip — a video
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bound — certain
  19. snap — to click
  20. ball — a great time
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — to cut
  23. bound — obliged
  24. leaves — to go away

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