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: snap · net · saw · key · press · arm · plane · current

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. saw — the tool
  5. current — of water
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. key — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. current — happening now
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. saw — the tool
  13. plane — a tool
  14. net — after costs
  15. snap — to click
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. press — newspapers
  18. current — electric
  19. press — to push
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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