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 · jam · stock · mine · bass · firm · bore · face

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. firm — steady
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. firm — decided
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bore — to tire
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bass — low music
  11. stock — shares
  12. press — a publisher
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mine — for digging
  15. press — to push
  16. stock — goods
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. face — part of the head
  21. firm — a company
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bore — gave birth

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