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: lie · cap · hide · bore · rash · foot · press · board

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. press — a publisher
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rash — a series
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. cap — a lid
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cap — a hat
  14. press — to push
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. press — newspapers
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bore — to drill

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