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: board · wake · mug · mine · face · content · press · prune

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a cup
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mine — for digging
  6. prune — to trim
  7. press — newspapers
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. wake — a trail
  16. face — part of the head
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. content — happy
  21. board — to get on
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. mine — an explosive

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