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: fan · rush · mouse · trunk · bass · press · face · land

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. press — a publisher
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bass — the fish
  11. face — to confront
  12. press — to push
  13. land — a country
  14. press — newspapers
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bass — low music
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. land — ground
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. face — part of the head
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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