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 · wound · press · stand · bat · scale · clip · mug

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. press — newspapers
  3. mug — to rob
  4. clip — to cut
  5. mug — a cup
  6. clip — a video
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. clip — for paper
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wound — an injury
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bat — the animal
  15. scale — size or range
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. press — to push
  22. mug — a face
  23. press — a publisher
  24. scale — in music

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