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: press · rock · arm · charge · mug · fork · nail · object

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. press — a publisher
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. press — to push
  7. object — to protest
  8. charge — in control
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mug — to rob
  11. press — newspapers
  12. object — an aim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. rock — music
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a face
  20. rock — a stone
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rock — to move gently

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