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: stick · march · last · press · ball · ruler · clip · face

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ball — a great time
  3. press — newspapers
  4. face — part of the head
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. last — to go on
  7. march — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. face — to point toward
  10. last — finally
  11. clip — for paper
  12. march — the month
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. clip — a video
  15. march — the month
  16. last — final
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. press — a publisher
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. face — to confront
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — to push
  24. clip — to cut

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