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 · calf · snap · pound · mouse · pass · racket · race

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. press — a publisher
  8. press — newspapers
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — to push
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. race — humankind
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. race — the arms race
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. race — a contest
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pass — to succeed

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