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 · ruler · bulb · tear · nail · sharp · rest · band

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. band — a music group
  3. press — newspapers
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bulb — for light
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rest — what's left
  8. press — to push
  9. tear — to rip
  10. press — a publisher
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. sharp — clever
  13. tear — from crying
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tear — from crying
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — a break
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. band — a ring
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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