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: board · hand · rock · press · firm · cabinet · pop · stick

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rock — a stone
  3. firm — steady
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rock — music
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pop — soda
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pop — music
  16. press — to push
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hand — help
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. board — a committee
  23. press — newspapers
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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