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 · bass · bore · bound · cold · dip · fan · clip

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. clip — a video
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. clip — for paper
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. cold — an illness
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bass — low music
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. clip — to cut
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bore — to drill
  22. press — a publisher
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bass — the fish

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