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 116 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: lie · key · kid · rest · hide · press · bore · wake

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. key — in music
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — to tease
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. key — for a lock
  10. press — to push
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. press — a publisher
  15. rest — what's left
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — to tire
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rest — a break
  24. lie — an untruth

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