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 · straw · bay · jam · track · leaves · board · snap

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. track — a path
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. press — newspapers
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. board — to get on
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. press — to push
  22. snap — to click
  23. board — a committee
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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