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 116 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: chair · press · lie · band · ball · craft · leaves · net

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. press — to push
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. press — newspapers
  5. chair — a leader
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. band — a ring
  12. lie — to recline
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. net — for catching
  16. press — a publisher
  17. craft — boats
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. band — a music group
  21. craft — a skill
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ball — a dance

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