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: lean · deal · lie · chip · mate · mug · press · degree

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. press — to push
  4. mug — to rob
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lean — to bend
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mug — a cup
  13. press — a publisher
  14. degree — temperature
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mug — a face
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mate — a partner
  20. degree — from a university
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. degree — an amount
  24. lean — thin

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