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 120 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: perch · lie · court · mouse · board · fine · wave · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. board — to get on
  3. court — for sport
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. court — of law
  6. press — a publisher
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fine — high quality
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. court — of a king
  18. fine — all right
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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