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: suit · last · current · tear · bat · temple · bore · press

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. press — a publisher
  3. tear — to rip
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. suit — in cards
  7. tear — from crying
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. press — newspapers
  10. last — finally
  11. last — final
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bore — to drill
  15. press — to push
  16. current — electric
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bore — to tire
  19. last — to go on
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bat — for baseball

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