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 120 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: cell · plane · press · lean · track · fan · kick · pound

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lean — to bend
  4. press — to push
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cell — in biology
  9. press — a publisher
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lean — thin
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cell — a phone
  19. kick — in football
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pound — a weight
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pound — to hit hard

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