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: rush · press · hand · leaves · arm · cold · rock · tube

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rush — hurry
  7. cold — an illness
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rock — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cold — not warm
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — a container
  16. hand — in cards
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. press — to push
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hand — help

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