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: chest · wind · stand · fan · rash · lie · saw · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rash — a series
  4. chest — of your body
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rash — hasty
  7. chest — a box
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wind — moving air
  20. press — to push
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. chest — of your 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