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: ball · hide · press · last · fall · stem · kick · plane

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. ball — a great time
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. press — to push
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. last — to go on
  10. fall — to drop
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. last — final
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stem — to come from
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — in football
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. press — a publisher
  24. last — finally

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