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: calf · game · stick · bulb · plane · present · press · file

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. press — newspapers
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bulb — for light
  8. present — there
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — a gift
  15. press — a publisher
  16. plane — a tool
  17. present — the time now
  18. press — to push
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a document
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. calf — a young animal

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