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 · leaves · fork · mine · foot · racket · bass · rush

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rush — hurry
  4. press — a publisher
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. press — newspapers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. press — to push
  13. bass — low music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — in a road
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mine — for digging

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