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: tube · bay · craft · rush · lie · jam · wake · press

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. rush — hurry
  3. craft — a skill
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wake — a trail
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. tube — a container
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. press — newspapers
  14. lie — to recline
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. craft — boats
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wake — before a funeral

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