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: bound · mouse · stand · press · tear · bay · kick · charge

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bound — certain
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. press — to push
  13. charge — electricity
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. charge — in control
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. kick — in football
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. press — newspapers
  24. tear — to rip

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