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: bulb · straw · press · stand · deal · file · craft · game

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — a publisher
  3. file — a tool
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — to bear
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. file — a line of people
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. press — to push
  20. game — a match
  21. craft — boats
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. file — a document

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