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 · arm · fall · wind · bore · stick · jam · board

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. press — a publisher
  6. board — to get on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bore — to drill
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fall — to drop
  14. board — a committee
  15. press — newspapers
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fall — to drop
  19. press — to push
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fall — the season

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