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: bulb · press · rule · foot · stand · arm · track · present

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. press — to push
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. press — a publisher
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. track — a song
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rule — a law
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. track — a path
  19. bulb — for light
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rule — government
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. foot — part of the body

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