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: press · fine · bulb · wind · rest · bass · fork · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wind — moving air
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. press — a publisher
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rest — a break
  15. press — to push
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fine — all right
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bass — the fish
  22. cell — in biology
  23. rest — what's left
  24. press — newspapers

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