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: lie · bay · saw · stick · ground · press · bowl · last

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. last — to go on
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. press — a publisher
  6. ground — a position
  7. press — to push
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. last — finally
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. press — newspapers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lie — to recline
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. last — final
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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