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: dip · cold · bear · mate · press · fine · rush · trunk

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. press — newspapers
  3. fine — all right
  4. press — to push
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. cold — not warm
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. fine — high quality
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. press — a publisher
  22. cold — an illness
  23. rush — hurry
  24. trunk — of a car

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