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 116 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: wind · rush · press · mug · cabinet · vault · present · lie

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. press — a publisher
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wind — moving air
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lie — to recline
  17. present — the time now
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. press — to push
  20. present — there
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. press — newspapers
  24. present — a gift

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