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 · pass · tear · jam · shower · present · rock · current

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. current — of water
  3. pass — a permit
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. present — there
  6. press — a publisher
  7. shower — rain
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — to push
  10. rock — a stone
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — from crying
  14. press — newspapers
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. current — happening now
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. present — a gift
  22. shower — to wash
  23. current — electric
  24. pass — to succeed

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