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: lean · stand · object · snap · sharp · clip · press · roll

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. press — newspapers
  3. clip — to cut
  4. sharp — clever
  5. press — a publisher
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. roll — a cake
  8. lean — to bend
  9. object — an aim
  10. lean — thin
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. snap — to click
  16. roll — a list
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. press — to push
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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