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: press · can · drill · straw · dip · vault · foot · plane

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. can — to be able to
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. press — newspapers
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. drill — a practice
  13. vault — a safe
  14. drill — the tool
  15. press — to push
  16. press — a publisher
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. dip — to sink
  20. can — a tin
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. plane — a tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. foot — a measure

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