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: foot · press · wind · hide · rest · plane · current · net

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — for catching
  3. press — a publisher
  4. foot — a measure
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rest — what's left
  7. press — to push
  8. wind — moving air
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. current — electric
  13. net — after costs
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. current — happening now
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wind — moving air
  20. plane — a tool
  21. current — of water
  22. net — in sport
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rest — a break

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